


Magic Apple

by MyTwiDreams



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, One Night Stands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-16
Updated: 2017-05-16
Packaged: 2018-11-01 11:54:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10921302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyTwiDreams/pseuds/MyTwiDreams
Summary: Regina has a one-night-stand with a beautiful stranger. Unfortunately, Emma turns out to be her son's birthmother who wants back into Henry's life.





	Magic Apple

**Author's Note:**

> [Disclaimer] I don't own anything OUAT

"What can I get you, Beautiful?"

Emma leaned over the counter so the brown-haired guest could hear her better over the drumming of the loud music. The woman was dressed in a formfitting grey pantsuit. She had unbuttoned the top buttons of her black blouse.

When Emma lowered her gaze for a moment, her eyes caught the glimpse of lace underneath it. She smiled. Maybe covering Ruby's shift tonight wouldn't turn out too bad for her.

"Magic Apple on ice. Make it a double."

Regina was in need of a drink. She hoped the alcohol would help to soothe her mind and make her able to sleep at least a few hours. Tomorrow was an important day. One she wasn't much looking forward to.

"Here's your drink, Beautiful. Enjoy. You really have excellent taste. Magic Apple is some fine stuff."

For the first time since Regina had entered the bar she took the time to look at the bartender more closely. She was tall and slender with soft curves in all the right places. Her blonde hair was thick and wavy and pulled over the right shoulder so Regina could see the tattoo of roses on the left upper arm. How bad did it hurt to get something like that done?

"Cheers, Beautiful!"

Regina sipped on her drink. Warmth filled her mouth as she tasted cinnamon and tart apple on the tip of her tongue. She swallowed slowly.

"The name is Regina, not Beautiful."

"Hi Regina, I'm Emma. What brings a sophisticated lady like you into a place like the Fairy Hole?"

Regina tugged on the sleeves of her blouse and rolled them up. The cotton still felt a bit damp against her skin. Rain never surprised her on days she carried an umbrella in her purse with her.

"I was trying to escape the rainfall. One would expect Boston in June to be a bit sunnier."

"No rain, no rainbows," Emma said in a cheerful tone as she pointed to the flag behind the counter. "Tonight could be your lucky night, Regina."

"I doubt that."

Regina lifted the glass to her mouth again. Her lipstick left a crimson mark on its edge. So much for being 24 hour lasting and kiss-proof…

"Hard day?"

Emma placed her underarms on the counter and granted Regina a wide smile. "Mine just started getting better when you entered the bar."

Regina smiled. She couldn't help it. How long had it been since another woman had attempted to flirt so openly with her? It was flattering. Emma was young, attractive and seemed easygoing. Regina licked her lips.

"Did you know that Magic Apple is made in a small, family owned distillery in Maine?"

"Oh really, is it?"

Emma nodded.

"The founder died some years ago. Now his widow runs the company. I wanted to do an internship there but it's impossible. The list is long and even longer if you don't know the right people."

"Why would you want to learn how to make apple schnapps?"

"Not just any apple schnapps. Magic Apple is the best you can get. It's made from a special mixture of red and green apples."

"To apples and their magic."

Regina took a big gulp and emptied her glass. She really felt calmer now. It was because talking to Emma was distracting her from tomorrow's worries. She was grateful that she had found something that helped to keep the dark thoughts away for a little while.

"Care for another drink?"

"Make it two."

"Thanks, but you don't have to buy me a drink."

"But I want to."

Regina shifted a bit on the wooden bar stool. She felt warm. It couldn't be the alcohol. It took way more for her to get even slightly tipsy.

"Thank you, my queen."

"Queen?"

"Your name, it means queen in Latin."

"Why does a bartender know Latin?"

Emma grinned.

"I am a woman of many secrets."

"Dirty secrets?"

"Some of them might be. But as for the Latin, I went to a Catholic high school. They had Latin on the curriculum."

"I see."

Emma filled two glasses with Magic Apple and added some ice on top. When she handed the drink to Regina their fingertips touched for a moment.

"To beautiful women with dirty secrets."

Regina touched her glass against Emma's. Her eyes stayed glued on Emma's mouth while she took a sip.

Emma moaned softly when she felt the cool liquid on her tongue. This stuff was heaven. It was paradise sold in fifty dollar bottles. Way too expensive to enjoy it on a regular basis. She took another sip.

"Are you in town for long? Friday is my day off. I could show you around town a bit."

"I'm only here until tomorrow. I can't stay away from my job for long."

"Too bad."

Both nipped on their glasses. Emma felt warmth filling her stomach. She hadn't eaten a bite since the bowl of cereal she'd had for breakfast. Emma's stomach was in knots. Tomorrow was such a big day. She would finally meet her son. Her eyes filled with tears.

"Are you sad because I can't stay?"

"No, I am fine, was just in thoughts."

Regina placed her glass on the counter. She licked her lips, savoring the rest of the drink in the corner of her mouth.

"When does your shift end?"

"I close up in an hour. Why?"

Regina leaned closer to Emma.

"If tonight is all we have. Let's make the most of it."

The rain had made the air outside heavy and humid. Regina inhaled deeply. What was she doing here? This was crazy. She didn't do crazy. Between her thighs she was already damp though. It had been too long. Emma was pretty and sexy. She craved to touch her all over that flawless skin. Regina wondered if she had any more tattoos on more hidden places on her body.

She typed a text into her phone.

Don't wait up on me. It'll be late

Her sister's response came a few moments later.

You're not trying to run away. Are you?

Mind your own crap. Has Robin signed the prenuptial yet?

It's true love!

I guess that means, no. Is Henry asleep?

Passed out a while ago on the couch. He's so excited for tomorrow.

I know

Since when do you use emoticons? Sweetie, this woman isn't going to take Henry away from you. He'll always be YOUR son.

I know he's my son. Look, I have to go now. We'll talk tomorrow at breakfast. Love you

Love you too, little Sis.

She pushed her cell back into her purse just when Emma walked out of the door. Now, she was wearing a red leather jacket over the white tank top.

Emma closed up and stepped close to Regina. "Are you ready, my queen?"

"Do we need a taxi?"

Emma pointed to the canary yellow Volkswagen Beetle that was parked a bit further away.

"Meet my baby."

She opened the passenger door for Regina.

"Nice car."

"It's a piece of junk but it's mine, so I love it."

Emma leaned closer to Regina. She could feel the minty breathe against her face. Now, she would kiss her. Regina closed her eyes.

Instead she felt something against her shoulder. The seatbelt clicked when Emma fixed it around Regina's waist.

"Here we go. Safety is important."

"Hear, hear."

"I mean it. Friend of mine got hurt in a crash. If he had worn a seatbelt, things would look better for him."

"I am sorry about your friend."

"It's ok. We don't have to talk about Killian."

Regina placed her hand on Emma's.

"We don't have to talk at all. Talking is overrated."

She pushed one of Emma's thick curls behind her ear. "You look like a princess with this pretty hair."

"A princess?" Emma giggled.

She leaned over to Regina, her right knee pressed between Regina's thighs. Lips touched lightly against Regina's. Her mouth was so soft. Warm, soft and full of promises of pleasure these plump lips could give to the woman's lover.

Regina groaned. The tip of Emma's tongue slide between her lips as she parted them a bit. She circled it with her own tongue. Then, she nibbled on Emma's upper lip.

"You taste sweet. Do you taste as sweet as this everywhere?"

The ride to Emma's apartment was short. The place was tiny, compared to what Regina was used to, but thankfully it was very clean.

"Do you want another drink? I am afraid I don't have any Magic Apple here though."

"I am fine. Your place is very cozy. I remember living in something similar to this when I was away at College."

"Rich girl, hmm?"

"My late father believed education to be important."

Her family's money was an awkward topic for Regina. It was nothing she liked to talk about. When you came from a rich background like her, everyone assumed you had to be a pampered brat. Truth was that she worked longer and harder than any of their employees. She got up before sunrise every day and often she went back to her office again after putting Henry to bed.

The boy was being difficult the last time. Ever since she had told him he was adopted Henry had developed an ugly habit.

"My real mom wouldn't make me go to the dentist."

"My real mom would let me watch that horror movie."

"My real mom wouldn't make me eat liver."

Those words were just sullen outbursts of a seven-year-old. He wasn't trying to hurt her. Regina knew that. But knowing something and not letting it bother you are two different things.

Regina took off her jacket and threw it over a chair. The fridge in the tiny kitchen was covered with cocktail recipes. She made a mental note to throw in a good word for Emma when she saw her mother Cora again. The girl seemed nice and there had been a spark in her eyes when she had mentioned the internship at Magic Apple.

"Do you live here alone?"

"I like being alone, mostly. Sometimes I like having company. Especially when she is as pretty as you are."

Emma stepped behind Regina and pressed a kiss right underneath Regina's earlobe with the little pearl earring in it. She could feel her shudder when she opened her mouth and planted a row of moist kisses down Regina's throat.

"You have such soft skin."

Emma sucked hard, leaving a reddish mark on the brunette's collarbone.

"I wanted you from the first moment I saw you tonight."

Regina turned her head a little so she could reach Emma's mouth. Their kiss was greedy and hard, a kiss of teeth pulling on lips and tongues exploring the insides of the other one's mouth.

"Do you want to see my bedroom too?"

Regina placed her hands around Emma's waist, enjoying the warmth against her fingers as she pushed Emma's tank top a bit higher. She grabbed its hem and pulled it over Emma's head.

"Yes,"

Regina's voice was hoarse now. She felt like she was melting. Right from the inside out she was melting into a puddle of moist lust.

Emma took her hand. The bedroom was so small that the queen-sized bed filled out most of the room's space. There was a yellow patchwork blanket on top of it. Maybe yellow was Emma's favorite color?

Regina kissed her. She wanted to feel Emma's mouth all over her body.

Slowly, she sat down on the edge of the bed and kicked off her heels.

"Come to me, Princess."

"I am no princess."

"You don't see yourself the way I do."

Regina sighed when Emma sat down on her lap. She felt the other woman's crotch pressing deliciously against her own. Fire crawled through her veins and tickled her everywhere.

"You," she whispered into Emma's ear. "You are mine now."

She could see the hardened outlines of nipples pressing against the thin cotton material of the bra. Regina had one hand around Emma's waist while she caressed her upper body. The skin was silky. She hooked her fingers underneath the straps of the bra and tugged them down.

Regina groaned when she buried her face between the softness of perfect shaped apple breasts. He tongue lapped over salty skin.

"You are magnificent."

Her fingers found the small clasp on Emma's back and fumbled it open. Regina kissed her between her breasts again. Then she turned her head to be able to close her lips hard against one of the rosy tips. She sucked. Her teeth grazed over the sensitive flesh while she heard Emma moan deep in her throat in response.

"Let me see you."

Emma's breathing was louder now. She could feel her heartbeat hammering hard in her chest. She lowered herself, letting her breasts brush gently over Regina's face.

Emma unbuttoned the blouse. It had too many buttons and each of them had to be undone before she could push it apart. She was wearing a lace bra underneath. Emma had seen right earlier in the bar. Her tongue licked in slow motion over her lower lip.

"You are hiding this under those lawyer clothes?"

Regina lifted her upper body high enough so that Emma could take off the blouse. She reached for the bra clasps but her fingers couldn't reach it.

"It opens here."

Regina kept her eyes on Emma's while she slowly twisted the crystal dollop between her breasts.

"Victoria's Secret?"

"Yes, but right now, I am more interested in Emma's secrets."

Emma lowered her hands to Regina's breasts. She loved the weight of the soft cups against her fingers. The nipples morphed into tight knots when she brushed over them with her thumbs.

"You have beautiful breasts."

"I know."

"Quite sure of yourself, aren't you, my queen?"

Emma pinched Regina's left nipple and smiled when she heard how Regina sucked in her breathe sharp. She twisted the nipple some more, trying to be careful. She wanted it to be pleasurable for her, not painful.

She kissed Regina's warm mouth. Then, she kissed the little scar over her upper lip. It was a tiny mark of imperfection in a perfect face. She was so beautiful. Dark-haired, with warm brown eyes and a skin that would most likely turn into a lovely olive tone in the sunlight. Emma was sure about that. Maybe Regina was part Latina? Could that be possible? There was so little she knew and so much she wanted to find out and probably never would.

Right now the skin was only a shade darker than Emma's pale complexion. Regina hadn't spent time out in the sun for a quite a while it seemed.

Emma's opened mouth closed over Regina's reddened nipple. She flicked her tongue over it very fast. Then she pulled back and blew over the tip.

"Touch me."

Regina's face was flushed now. She was pulsing, pulsing all over and between her thighs she was moist with need. Her breathing rhythm quickened when she felt Emma's hand on the button of her trousers.

Emma undid them. She pulled them down, letting her hands glide down perfect shaped thighs and slender calves. Regina's toenails were painted blood red. Emma kneaded the small feet in her hands for a few moments. Then she kissed Regina's ankle. Her mouth made its way up. There was another small scar at the side of her left knee.

Regina whimpered when Emma's tongue touched against the back of her knees. Shivers crawled up her spine. Then, she felt Emma's hand sliding up the inside of her thighs.

"These have to go too."

She smiled when Regina instinctively lifted her hips again so Emma could remove the last piece of clothing on her.

"You are fucking beautiful."

Emma pressed a kiss underneath the soft swell of Regina's lower abdomen. Her belly was perfect, not scarred with ugly stretch marks like her own.

She lowered her mouth a bit more. Her nose rubbed against the bare mound. Emma inhaled deeply. She loved doing this. The smell of arousal was intoxicating. The feeling of hot, wet flesh against her mouth was making her dizzy.

Regina moaned. Her hands fisted the sheets below her body. There was an instinct inside her to grab Emma's head and push it closer. It could never be close enough. She was teasing her. Going slow on purpose in an attempt to drive her crazy and it was working.

Finally, the tip of Emma's tongue swiped over Regina's clit. She circled it. Slow at first but then faster. Regina tasted sweet, sweet and very wet against her mouth. Emma groaned. She pressed her legs together.

Emma licked up and down Regina's slit now. She sucked one of the inner lips between her lips to release it again with a plopping noise. Then, she pressed her mouth hard against Regina's sex. Her tongue nestled its way inside a tight entrance.

Emma felt hands pulling roughly on her hair. It was painful but she couldn't stop, not now. The pad of her thumb pressed down hard on Regina's clit.

She could feel her quiver. The muscles around Emma's tongue contracted. Thighs clamped around her head. For a split second it was like Emma was orgasming herself without her own sex even being touched.

Her body was shaking slightly when she pulled back. She leaned her head against Regina's thigh and waited for her breathing to calm a bit.

"Are you okay?"

Regina caressed tangled, blonde curls. She was still pulsing. The bedding would have to be changed. She was leaving stains on it with how wet she was. Little Emma, the bartender was a fucking sorceress with her tongue.

"I'm absolutely perfect. Thank you."

Emma's cheeks were pink. The lips were glistening with a tiny rest of slick wetness. To Regina she looked ravishing.

"Your turn now," she whispered when she pushed Emma back against the pillows at the top of the bed.

The jeans had to go.

Regina tugged and pulled. Those were skinny jeans. They were perfect to draw attention to a butt but annoyingly difficult to remove when you were trying to hurry undressing your lover.

Emma laughed. She wiggled her narrow hips and helped Regina to eventually pull them down. The small pair of baby blue cotton panties followed.

Regina kissed Emma's mouth before her eyes wandered over the bare curves of the blonde. She was slender. There was a second tattoo of some ivy leaves curling around Emma's right hip. Her skin was pale and flawless. When Regina lowered her mouth to kiss the tattoo on Emma's hips, she noticed faded stretch marks on the lower belly.

She kissed the tattoo, then the skin underneath Emma's belly button. Maybe she had lost a lot of weight recently and that explained the stretch marks.

"Does it hurt to get tattoos done?"

"It depends. Some places are more painful than others."

Regina kissed Emma's hipbone again. Her hands moved down. She felt Emma sucking in her breath when her fingertips reached their destination.

The wetness made Regina's fingers slide easily though Emma's folds. She took her time. Everything, she wanted to know everything about her, feel every little crevice and discover all of Emma's sweet spots.

She rubbed two fingers over her clit. Emma moaned softly. She leaned back, her hips bucking up against Regina's hand.

"More. Please."

Regina smiled as she lowered her mouth to Emma's breasts and worshipped each nipple eagerly with her mouth and tongue while she circled fast over her clit in irregular figure eight shapes. When she thrust her fingers inside Emma, the sensation of moist heat welcomed them. Regina felt Emma pulsing and curled her digits upwards. Her other hand slid down Emma's stomach to rub her clit. She moaned. The sounds escaping her mouth were making Regina throb with need again.

She felt Emma beginning to tighten. Her fingertips pressed down on Emma's clit. She tensed. Her body trembled. Muscles tightened around Regina's fingers. She stretched them, enjoying how Emma's insides held her tight like a moist glove.

"Fuck,"

Emma could see stars. There were literally tiny stars flashing up before her closed eyes. Her body pulsed. Wave after wave of painfully sweet release rocketed through her while Regina's fingers inside her slowed down their movements.

"Look at me, Emma."

Her eyes fell open. Heat spread into her face as Emma watched how Regina lifted her fingers to her mouth to lick them clean. She hummed. Regina hummed while she licked off Emma's wetness from her fingertips.

"Tastes very good, tastes like more."

Regina climbed on Emma's lap. Her thigh rubbed between Emma's legs. She felt the moistness against her skin and rocked her hips back and forth a little.

"Turn around. I want to taste you again."

Regina did as Emma told her. She felt Emma grabbing her by the hips, trying to bring Regina's sex closer to her face. A moan, escaping from her lips, was suffocated as Regina lowered her mouth to Emma's pussy. She licked her slowly, trying to be gentle on her clit so short after her climax.

Emma groaned against Regina's moist inner lips. She licked the brunette like someone who was enjoying the last meal in a long time. Regina circled her tongue around Emma's entrance. She felt her muscles beginning to spasm again. Both of them pressed their tongues against the other one's sex. They licked, hard, irregular swipes against throbbing clits. Emma's hands held Regina's hips in place when she felt her beginning to shake. Their releases came only a heartbeat apart from each other. Both panted heavily afterwards.

"You'll be the death of me."

Emma pressed a moist kiss against Regina's hip before lowering her head against it. She felt tired and wonderfully satisfied.

Regina caressed her hair. Emma closed her eyes. It always was soothing for her when someone gave her a head massage. Only minutes later a snoring noise reached Regina's ear.

She allowed herself a few moments to admire the young woman in her arms. Emma was beautiful. She was a woman who knew how to make her lover happy too. Whoever got her was some lucky bitch.

Regina caressed the blonde curls on Emma's head a last time. Inside her throat there was a lump. She swallowed hard.

Since when was she so dreadfully sentimental? This wasn't her first one night stand. Soon Emma, the bartender, would be a sweet memory that she would enjoy while using her toy to at night.

She pulled the crumpled blanket over Emma. Then, she picked up her clothes. A few buttons on her blouse were missing but she didn't have time to deal with this now. She knotted the blouse and put her jacket on top of it. Her heels were in her hand; it would make less noise on the floor when she waited with putting them on until she was outside.

Her eyes fell over Emma's sleeping frame. She was curled to the side now. Her mouth opened when she exhaled.

"Goodbye, Emma," Regina whispered, barely audible. Then she turned around and left.

A feeling of cold emptiness spilled over her when she closed the door to Emma's apartment behind her.

Regina closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. There was no reason to feel this way. She didn't know what was wrong with her. Maybe she was getting too soft.

Her fingers reached for the phone in her purse.

"I need a taxi to the Four Season Hotel, now," She breathed into the receiver. After a long hot soak in the tub the last traces of Emma would be washed off her body. It was going to be way more difficult to wash off the feeling of loss.

The smell of bacon woke Regina up too early for her liking. She groaned and stretched her limps. She felt sore. But it was a good sore, a reminder of her little adventure from last night.

"Good morning, Sis."

Regina sat down next to Zelena at the counter and watched how her older sister stuffed slices of crispy bacon into her cheeks. There were several plates with pancakes, fruit salad and hash browns standing next to her too. It looked like Zelena had ordered everything that was on the menu of the hotel.

"Is that all for you?"

"The fruit salad is for me. All the rest is just for the baby. It's always hungry, my little monster."

She cradled her rounded mid-section. Zelena's face was sweaty. Her hair was messy but Regina had to admit that she couldn't recall having her sister seen so beautiful ever before. The pregnancy was doing well with her. If only she had picked a father with a little bit more brain for her child.

"When did you come back? We didn't hear you."

"It was after three a.m. I went for a walk. Then I was in a bar. I met someone."

Zelena poured orange juice into two glasses and pushed one of them over to her sister. There was a red mark on Regina's throat. A hickey! Zelena giggled.

"Details, please."

"There is nothing to tell."

"What did she look like?"

"Blonde."

"You like blondes, huh? Did you do it in the car?"

"No, we went to her place."

"Where does she live?"

"What does it matter?"

"Aren't you going to see her again?"

"It's called one-night-stand because it only lasts one night."

Regina circled her fingertip over the rim of the glass. Her nail polish was chipped and there wouldn't be time for a fresh manicure before her meeting. Crap, she wanted to look perfect. She had to look perfect to intimidate Henry's birth mother better. She couldn't think the word mother without feeling sour about the unknown woman who had given up her child for adoption seven years ago.

"Was it good? Did you use toys?"

"What kind of questions are these?"

"Please, I am a horny pregnant woman. Are you sure you won't see her again?"

"Can we not talk about Emma anymore? She doesn't matter. It was just sex."

"Emma? What a pretty name! Maybe if it's a girl I'll name her Emma. Do you think Robin would like it?"

Regina sipped on her juice. The frown that appeared around her mouth had little to do with the acid of the fresh squeezed oranges.

"Maybe it's a boy. I bet little Roland would like a brother." Regina knew that mentioning Robin's son or his ex-wife always made Zelena pissed. That was what she got for being so nosy all the time.

"Roland is in New York and New York is far, far away from Maine. Oh, and if the baby is a boy, his name will be Robin Junior. Isn't that great?"

"How creative of you two."

Regina felt how her temples began to throb slightly. Sleep deprivation tended to give her nasty headaches.

"Mom!"

Henry stormed into the kitchen of the hotel suite and hugged Regina. She kissed his head and run her hands through his hair. Maybe they should have it cut before they came here? No, it looked so cute when he wore it a little longer. It got a bit of a wave in it then.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes," he mumbled. Henry sat down across from Regina. She took a plate and put a pancake with syrup on it before pushing it to Henry.

"Juice or milk?"

"Chocolate milk?"

"I wouldn't dare to offer you anything else."

Regina smiled. She stroked Henry's head and went to the well-stocked refrigerator. She poured chocolate milk into a glass and added a straw. He liked drinking from these better.

See, stupid birth mother? I know Henry and the things he loves. You are nothing. You will never be more than nothing. Gosh, just stay away from my son or I forget myself.

"Do you want us to go the zoo this afternoon before we go back home?"

The boy nodded. He chewed his pancake with his mouth half open.

"Maybe my real Mom can come with us?"

Zelena coughed on the piece of bacon she was about to swallow. Her sister's face looked tortured. It had the same mask-like expression that Regina had put on during her father's funeral. She was so good at hiding her emotions but that didn't mean they weren't there.

"Regina is your real mom, Henry."

"No, she is not. She only adopted me. I didn't grow in her belly."

The matter of being grown in the belly had gotten the ball rolling. Zelena had happily announced her pregnancy and explained to Henry that the baby was growing inside her before it was born. He had asked Regina if he had grown in her belly too. She had told him about the adoption. He had cried.

His reaction had killed Regina. She loved him so much. Hadn't she done everything for him? She had cradled his little body through every colic, put band aids on each of his scratches and slept next to him when he woke up from bad dreams. What did it matter that another woman had carried him for nine months? She was the one who was his true mother.

Henry was her life. Regina hated the thought of having his love for her being taken away by anyone.

Her mouth curled into a fake half-smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"How about we go and pick something nice for you to wear for when we go and meet Miss Swan?"

The tie around his neck was itchy. Henry wanted to take it off but he knew he couldn't. He was so excited. What did she look like? Did she have brown hair like him? Was she tall? Did she smell good?

Uncle Robin always commented on how he liked how aunt Zelena smelled. Smelling good was obviously important for a woman. His mom smelled nice. He liked how her hair smelled of apples when she came back from visiting the distillery.

Henry kicked his feet back and forth. He hated to sit around and wait. His Nintendo was downstairs in aunt Zelena's car. Maybe he could go down and get it quickly? If his real mom liked video games, maybe they could play together. His mother didn't care for them too much but she always remembered to charge his batteries when he was asleep. He loved her. You could have two moms. A boy in his class had two dads, so that meant you could have two moms too, right?

The adults were sitting a bit further away. Mr. Gold's cane was leaning against the glass table. He had seen him in his grandmother's office before. He smelled funny, like the stuff his mom put on his chest when he had a cold. Henry wondered why he limped but his grandmother had made it clear that it was impolite to ask people about things like that.

"Are we sure this woman isn't trying to make money out of this, Mr. Gold?"

Regina added sugar into her coffee for the third time. It was cold and way too sweet now. Her hands were clammy. She reached for a wipe in her purse and cleaned them again. Why was she so nervous? This felt like being on trial. What would the birth mother think of her? Would she mind that a single woman had adopted her son?

No, not her son, Regina corrected herself instantly. Henry was her son and nobody else's.

"Miss Swan isn't after your money, Miss Mills. I can assure you of that."

"So, can you?" Zelena said, before she munched joyfully on a granola bar. "Our family is rich. It wouldn't be the first time someone tries to blackmail us."

Robin leaned back against his chair. This was going to get ugly. There would be tears. Not from Regina because she was a block of ice but Zelena would definitely cry. She got upset easily since she was pregnant.

He reached for her hand with the diamond ring on it and petted it gently. Soon, she would be his wife and the doors to Maine's upper class would be wide open to him.

"How could she contact you?" Regina asked. "I thought adoptions are always closed."

"In Massachusetts and Maine, yes. But Henry was born in Arizona and the morons in Phoenix only made the birth mother sign papers for an open adoption."

"You are my lawyer and you fucked this up. It's your fault we have to deal with this mess now."

Regina crossed her arms in front of her chest. She felt too warm and she couldn't take off the silk scarf around her neck because of the hickey.

"Henry told me he would like to meet his birth mother. Cora thinks it's a good idea too, Regina."

Regina's eyes narrowed. There was anger inside her. She needed to unleash it on someone, even if it was just this poor fucker, Gold. Hadn't her mom told her that he shot himself in the foot to be sent home from Iraq?

Gold's phone vibrated. A moment later his secretary, a curly redhead stuck her head inside the office.

"Mr. Gold? I have a Miss Swan here to see you."

"It's fine, Belle. Offer her something to drink. I will let you know when we are ready to meet her."

He granted Belle a wide smile. Regina assumed that he was fucking her. That was highly unprofessional in her eyes to start a thing with an employee.

Gold dropped an aspirin into his glass and waited for it to dissolve. He enjoyed the pained look on Regina's face. This was nagging on her. It was a joy to see her intimidated like this. Deep inside, behind the mask of self-confidence she was insecure and that was a weakness Gold knew how to use people's weaknesses for his own advantage.

"Henry, come here to me."

Regina pulled the boy against the side of her chair. She knew the tie bothered him and so, she loosened it a bit. "See this is better. Mr. Gold, we are ready now."

Mr. Gold smiled. He called Belle to let her know to bring in Miss Swan. So far he had only spoken to her on the phone. He had done his research though. She had been in jail at the time of Henry's birth. The records were sealed but he could always pull some strings to find out more if it should turn out to be necessary.

Cora was paying him well for keeping trouble away from her family.

"Henry?"

Their eyes turned to the open door. There she was. In her arms was a big, white teddy bear with a blue ribbon. She was wearing a short sundress with a red leather jacket on top. It was the same one Emma had worn last night.

Regina's head started spinning. As a kid her horse had thrown her off one time and she had gotten a concussion. Right now, it was as if someone had hit her against the head again. She couldn't breathe.

Her hand tightened around Henry's in her palm until the boy whined in pain.

Mr. Gold got up from his chair. He reached out his hand to take Emma's. It was cold when he touched it. She looked irritated. Why was Regina here? Her eyes fell to Zelena who was cradling her baby bump. Was this Henry's adoptive mother? It looked like a sibling was on the way.

"Miss Swan. How lovely to finally meet you in person. Let me introduce you."

He pointed to Robin and Zelena. "These are your son's uncle and aunt, Robin and Zelena."

Zelena smiled and shook Emma's hand. The boy doesn't resemble her much, she thought. He must come more after his father.

"And this is Regina Mills, the lady who adopted Henry."

Regina couldn't move. She knew it was necessary to move. Her body was paralyzed. Maybe she was going into shock now. Henry let go of her hand.

"Regina?"

Gold's nasal voice made her jump. It was like being awoken by a shrill alarm tone. Regina's mouth curled upwards. She could do this. She could force her body to function and not make a complete fool out of herself by causing a scene.

"Regina, meet, Miss Emma Swan, your son's birth mother."

Say something! You need to say something or you'll look like an idiot.

Regina's lips parted. She exhaled. When she took another breath her mouth formed the words. "Miss Swan."

Emma didn't say anything. Her throat felt dry. She nodded her head but the muscles in her face wouldn't obey her brain's order to curl into a smile. This was a nightmare. It was a disaster in the category of a plane crash.

She had looked forward to this day. More so, Emma had dreamed about how it would be like to finally meet her son and his adoptive parents. In her fantasy she had always imagined a round-faced middle aged couple. She had imagined how Henry had inherited her blonde hair and Neal's eyes.

At least she had been right about the eyes. Their grey was a tiny imitation of her ex-boyfriend's. Just around the edges, the shade was darker, almost sea blue.

Emma went down on her knees. Now, she could smile. For Henry, she could.

He was so big! Was he tall for his age? Did he lose all his milk teeth yet? There were so many questions and Emma realized with dislike that the person she would have to ask most of them was Regina.

She looked mad even when her expression was calm. The beautiful face was nothing but a calm mask. Emma could see the fire burning behind it. There were little lines around the narrowed eyes and tension in Regina's jaw muscles.

"Henry say hello to Miss Swan," Regina whispered in a cold voice.

"Can I call you Mom?"

He hugged Emma and grabbed the teddy bear she handed him to cradle it against his chest.

"Can you come to the zoo with us later? I like gorillas and elephants best."

"I like elephants too."

"Mom likes Zebras. She likes all kind of horses."

Emma tried to look only at Henry and not his mother while they talked. Regina was sitting with her back bolt upright not touching the back of the chair. She would allow herself to freak out later when she was alone. Maybe she would go downstairs in the wine cellar and yell a bit. Sometimes that made one feel better.

"Robin, I am so hungry. Do you mind if we go downstairs to the cafeteria and have a bite?"

Regina exchanged a panicked look with her sister. She couldn't leave her alone now. As long as Robin and Zelena were present it was less personal. Regina knew that she had gotten more personal with Emma Swan last night than it was good for her. She had danced and now she would have to pay for the music.

Why, of all women in the world, had she hooked up with Henry's birth mother? Destiny was a bitch. It was probably laughing at her right now.

"I'll join you," Gold mumbled, taking his cane. He balanced his weight on his good leg while he limped forward. A minute later Emma was alone with Henry and Regina.

"This is really awkward." Emma said, tugging her dress underneath her knees. She hated wearing skirts. They were unpractical. Still, she had put on the only dress she owned in an attempt to make a good impression.

Of course, it was hard to make a good impression in clothes on someone who had already seen you naked. Heat streamed into her cheeks.

Last night had been special. It had meant something to Emma. Yes, it was stupid to fall in love during a one-night-stand. Emma was bad at separating sex and love. Weren't they both irrevocably connected?

Regina didn't share her opinion. If she did, then she wouldn't have sneaked out of her apartment while Emma was still asleep. When she had woken up alone in her bed, Emma was sad. Regina hadn't even left her phone number behind. Their night together had just been a quick fun for the brunette and nothing more.

What if she had a husband back home who was waiting for her? The thought left a sour aftertaste in Emma's mouth.

"Why didn't you bring Henry's father here, too?"

"My Daddy is in heaven."

Henry leaned back against the shelf behind him. It was filled with thick leather-bound books. Nobody had more books than Mr. Gold apart from his grandmother perhaps.

"I am sorry about your loss."

Regina nodded her head. She didn't smile but her lower lip twitched upward for a moment.

"It was a long time ago, a riding accident. Daniel was my best friend."

Emma could see the pain in Regina's eyes when she spoke.

"But you still like horses?"

"Horses are wonderful, compassionate animals. My father taught me how to ride when I was five."

"I have never been near a living horse. Don't they scare you? They are so big!"

"Mom, maybe Mom can come and visit us at home. Mom, can you? We have many horses."

Emma smiled. Henry was such a sweet child. It nagged on her heart that she hadn't had a possibility to keep him. After all, what did she have to offer? With a prison history her chances of finding a good job were close to zero.

She wanted better for him. He wouldn't be passed around from foster family to foster family like she had. The authorities were always quick to take a child away from the birth mother when they found her to be unfit to raise a child.

No, Emma didn't want others to make choices for her. It had been like this all her life. She remembered his first cry. She could recall the midwife telling her it was a boy and asking if she wanted to hold him.

Emma couldn't. She knew that if she held him, then she wouldn't have the strength to give him up. Tears burned in her eyes at the memory.

"Are you crying?"

Regina had been raised to control her emotions. Tears, especially in front of a stranger were a big no to her. She felt a knot in her throat that made her cough. Obviously nobody had taught Emma not to cry in front of others. Regina fished for tissues in her purse and handed one to Emma.

"Sorry."

"It's fine. Henry, why don't go outside to aunt Zelena's car and get the drawing you made for Miss Swan?"

The boy's face was glowing with a wide smile on it when he hurried out.

"So, it's Miss Swan now? Last night, you called me Emma."

Regina sighed.

"Last night, we were two different people than who we are now."

Regina pressed the fingers of her hands against each other. She needed to be careful. Emma had seen too much of her. Having sex with someone always made you vulnerable. It was a feeling that Regina wasn't comfortable with.

"Last night meant nothing."

She could see the muscles in Emma's lower face quiver. It was just a few moments. The movement was just a slight tremble of the woman's mouth. The same mouth that had brought her to pleasures beyond words was so close to her again.

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

Emma crossed her arms in front of her chest. She snuggled closer into the safety of her leather jacket. It was old. A gift from a long lost fried who had taught her trust always came with consequences.

"You didn't hurt me. It was just fucking."

She spit the ugly word at Regina. Yes, she needed her to know that last night didn't hold any deeper meaning to Emma. Not after she, herself, had made it so clear what she was thinking about it. It didn't mean anything.

"Don't say that word. It's vulgar."

"But we did fuck. I fucked you. You fucked me. Then we fucked each other."

More tears watered Emma's eyes. She wanted to rub them but that would smear the mascara she had applied this morning. She had made an effort. Tied up her hair, put on her good shoes and applied her make-up with care. Emma wanted to look her best for her son and the adoptive parents. It was important to her to make a good impression.

"You are too emotional."

"You know shit about me."

"When you are upset your lower lip trembles a bit. Henry's does the same when I tell him no when he wants something."

"I doubt you tell him no very often. You have your own horses? When you can buy a horse, you sure can buy a kid too."

Regina crushed the plastic cup she had reached for in her hand. Water spilled over Gold's glass table. Dark dots appeared on a folder lying on it. For a moment Emma wondered if Regina would throw the cup at her. People had thrown much harder objects at her in anger. She ducked her head.

"How dare you say I bought the baby?"

Regina tossed the cup into the trash under the table. When she spoke up again her voice was shaky.

"I didn't buy Henry. It was a legal adoption. Mr. Gold can show you the papers, if you'd like to see them."

Emma could see that her question had bothered her. If it bothered Regina that meant she cared. She needed to punch out. Regina's obvious indifference about their night together hurt her. Was it her pride? Was it disappointment because Regina hadn't felt what she felt last night?

Princess

She bet Regina called every pussy her princess before she ate it.

"My lawyer said I have chances of getting Henry back. They aren't too bad he says."

Regina's eyes narrowed. Her temples pulsed with an ugly migraine attack beginning to build up.

"Henry is my son. You gave up your rights to him a very long time ago."

"I am his mother."

Emma was throwing in the only trump she had and even that one was a just a bluff. She knew that she couldn't just turn back time and undo the adoption. If anything, she wished to be able to wind back the last twenty-four hours.

"Oh are you, Miss Swan, are you? How come you suddenly remembered about having a child? We didn't hear anything from you during the first years of Henry's life."

Emma swallowed hard. She coughed. Her mouth was so dry again. Regina was so intimidating. Last night, she hadn't been intimidating. Last night she had seemed mysterious and sexy. She vowed that she would never again take a woman home with her that she'd meet in the bar.

It was because last night, she had seen no threat in Emma. Right now, she was and like a lioness trying to defend her prey, she leashed out.

"You are not the motherly type. Anyone can see that. How old are you?"

"I am twenty-five. Look, I had Henry when I was too young. I wasn't in a good place at that time."

"Did you do drugs?"

Emma shook her head, no. There had been times when she was very young. Especially during the time she had hung out with Lily, when she had drunken too much alcohol. It had filled her hurt soul with fake warmth and comfort.

"My sister was an addict once, when she was a teenager. She was mostly on pills. One day, Zelena was convinced her skin had turned green and she could fly on a broomstick."

Emma pulled something out of the pocket of her jacket. It was two black pearl buttons she had found when she had strapped the bed earlier. Why she hadn't thrown them away was beyond her. It wasn't a pair of lace lingerie. Keeping buttons was ridiculous.

"Look, I know you don't like me. All I want is a chance to get to know my son."

Regina's mother had taught her that if you didn't want to deal with a problem the easiest way was to pay it off. Everything and more important everyone had a price. She wondered how high Emma's price would be.

It couldn't be too much.

Regina smiled.

The scent of ripe apples was heavy and sweet in Regina's nose as she sat down in the shades of a tree and inhaled the beloved scent as deep as possible. This was her favorite time of the year. It was the week before harvest when the apples in the orchard were waiting to be plucked.

Regina wiped perspiration from her forehead with the back of her hand. She had been out riding for over two hours in the sun. Her body was a bit tired now. Her mind though, it wouldn't grant her a well needed moment of peace.

Two months had passed now since her fateful night with Henry's birth mother. She had not spoken a single word to Emma since. Mr. Gold had been instructed to offer the woman money. She had refused. How could she do that? Regina had no idea how much a bartender was making but it couldn't be enough to refuse such a gracious, unexpected offer.

Maybe Emma Swan was greedy. Anyone who read the tabloids on a regular basis could get a good idea of how much money the Mills family owned. There was the apple orchard, the distillery and the horse breeding. Emma was probably trying to figure out how much money she could press out of them.

Regina leaned her head against the trunk of the tree and closed her eyes. She couldn't get the memories out of her brain, no matter how hard she tried. The touch of Emma's hands on her body was still vivid in her. It made her instantly pulse between her thighs whenever she remembered the pleasures they had shared. Her mind was trying to reason with her. Emma was not only off limits now that she had found out she was Henry's birth mother. She was someone Regina had to dislike, greatly.

So, why couldn't she stop thinking about their night together? It was driving Regina insane. She tried her hardest to distract herself and especially wear herself out physically. She spent hours on the treadmill or on the back of her beloved horse. Still, every night, when she finally went to sleep, often passed midnight, the memories of Emma's delightful caresses haunted her.

On many nights, Regina's fingers found their way beneath the blanket, rubbing and circling moist flesh while she imagined it being Emma's fingers and tongue that were fondling her from one climax to the next. Yes, she hated herself for it, but Regina couldn't find the strength in her to stop. Was it possible to be physically attracted to someone you knew was so completely wrong for you?

The horse nickered. Regina opened her eyes to see a familiar yellow Volkswagen Beetle standing at the side of the road a bit further away. She could also see smoke coming from the hood of it.

In front of the car, wearing that red leather jacket again was Emma. She cursed. Regina could hear swear words coming from her mouth as she stood helpless in front of the car.

Regina grabbed the reins and guided the horse towards the street.

"Having trouble with your car, Emma?"

Emma looked up. She was looking like a fool again. The car had never let her down and now it was happening right in front of Regina who was probably enjoying watching her little breakdown.

"Good Morning, Regina."

She took a step backwards when the gigantic head of the horse was coming closer to her.

"Please keep that thing away before it bites me."

"That thing as you call it is a high prized stallion. Rocinante is the most well-tempered horse we own. There's no need to be frightened."

She took Emma's hand and pulled her closer. Then she placed the hand on the neck of the horse.

"You can pet him. He likes that."

"I am not a horse person."

"Henry loves horses."

Regina smirked when she noticed how Emma cringed at the comment. She looked too pretty for her own good, even prettier than she had in Regina's memory.

Her face was flushed red. The wind had turned the blonde curls into a tangled mess. Emma's mouth looked pink and soft. She wanted to kiss these lips again.

The muscles deep inside Regina tensed. She had to be hard. She had to suppress the traitorous needs of her body. Yes, Emma was attractive but she was off limits and more so, Emma was her enemy now. She wanted to take Henry away from her and Regina would let that happen over her dead body.

"I need to call a towing service for my car."

Emma fished out her cell, only to realize that she had zero connection out here. Damn it!

"Crap."

"You better not use such words in front of Henry. He doesn't need to learn gutter language from you."

Emma crossed her arms in front her body. It hurt. It hurt when Regina looked at her like she wanted to rip her heart out of her chest this very moment. How could she hate her so much?

"I have a right to see my son."

Regina exhaled slowly through her mouth. "Henry's my son."

"I never said he wasn't. I know he's yours. I am not here to steal him away or whatever you think my plan is."

Regina's fingers moved through the forelock of the horse. It was getting too hot out here. She was starting to feel thirsty.

"I can take you back to the house with me and there you may call the towing service."

"You mean on the horse?"

Emma's voice cracked. The horse was huge. She would break her neck if the animal decided to throw her off.

"Is it too far to walk?"

"Just about five miles down the road. Emma, come on. It's just a horse. There's no need to be scared."

Regina stepped close to Emma to help her get on top of the horse's back. The look on Emma's face was pained. The mouth was pressed into a tight line. All the color had vanished from her, making her skin look ashen.

Emma flinched when Regina climbed up and wrapped her left arm around her waist to pull her closer.

"Are you still scared?"

"Yes."

Regina pressed her face against Emma's shoulder.

"You don't have to be. I won't let you fall. I promise."

The ride back to the house was wonderful and awful for both of them. It was wonderful for Regina to have Emma's slender body being pressed close against her own. It was horrible for Emma to endure the shaking on top of the gigantic animal. It was dreadful for Regina to realize how much she enjoyed having Emma near her.

Finally, the house, to Emma it looked more like a big mansion, appeared in front of them. A servant rushed out to take the reins from Regina's hand.

"Welcome back, Miss Mills. We didn't know you'd be bringing a friend for lunch."

"Miss Swan is not going to stay."

Regina got down first. Then she reached her hand to Emma to help her down from the horse too. Emma's legs quivered. She was glad to have steady ground beneath her feet again.

"Please make sure Rocinante gets groomed properly and don't give him too cold water again."

The man nodded his head and walked off with the horse.

"You have a servant? Who has a servant apart from the queen of England?"

Regina ran her fingers through her hair to tame it a bit.

"Are you here to ask for more money? Mr. Gold has been instructed to give you a more than gracious offer."

Emma's eyes narrowed. Was she really thinking that low of her? Maybe that was what rich people were like. They thought that you could buy yourself out of everything that was uncomfortable.

"You can keep all your money and go fuck yourself. I am only here because I would like to see Henry again."

Regina didn't get a chance to respond anything. The door opened again and Henry ran out, storming directly into Emma's arms. She hugged him but when she leaned down to kiss his forehead he wrinkled his nose. He was getting too big to be kissed.

"Mom! You came! See mom, she came and you said she wouldn't."

He grinned all over his face and grabbed Emma's hand.

"I'll show you my room. Do you want to play with my Nintendo? Mom is really bad at video games."

Regina took a deep breath. "Miss Swan isn't going to stay here. Her car broke down and we'll call someone to tow it."

"Mom?"

The boy's face turned into a disappointed frown. He wanted Emma to stay. Why had she come all the way from Boston when she wasn't going to stay? He wanted to show her everything. His room and the drawing he had made for her as a late mother's day gift. She needed to see his turtle and the white-brown foal that had been born two weeks ago.

"Regina! What kind of manners are those? You need to ask your guest inside in this dreadful heat."

She cursed silently in her head when she saw her mother walking towards them from the back of the house. Now, she would have to introduce Cora to Emma and that was something Regina was uncomfortable with.

Unfortunately, Henry spoke before she had a chance to say a word.

"Grandma, this is Emma, my real mom."

Cora Mills was a woman who took pride in always having her emotions under control. So this was Henry's birth mother? She had envisioned the woman differently. She looked very young but not like an irresponsible teenage girl. Regina looked tortured. This was a difficult situation for her daughter.

"It's lovely to meet you, Miss?"

"Swan, mother, her name is Emma Swan."

"I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Swan. My name is Cora Mills. I am Henry's grandmother."

Cora noticed how cold Emma's hand felt when she clasped her fingers around it. The woman was scared. The big blue eyes looked fearful but around the mouth she had a determined expression. There was strength deep inside her.

"Let's go inside and have a drink before we all melt away out here. It's very warm today."

Regina wished for the earth to open up and swallow her whole. She wanted to disappear out of this awkward situation.

"Try some of this apple juice," Cora said to Emma. "We are trying to add some alcohol free beverages to our supply."

Emma sipped on the drink. It was too sweet but she couldn't mention that. It would be too impolite.

"What do you think, Miss Swan?"

"Maybe a bit less sugar," she mumbled, deciding to be honest. There was no point in trying to brown-nose Henry's grandmother. Regina already hated her enough for two.

"I thought so too. Henry likes his juice sweet like sugared water. We will try to add more green apples in the next test."

Regina felt awkward. It was obvious that her mother was starting to develop a liking in Emma and that was the last thing she needed to happen.

"I am going to change and freshen up real quick."

Upstairs in her bathroom she let icy water run over her wrists and splashed some of it into her face in an attempt to calm herself. Her pulse was racing. She needed to find a way to get Emma out of the house. Nobody was going to steal Henry's love away from her. She couldn't let this happen.

Cora took a gulp from her own drink. Then, she smiled kindly at her grandson.

"Henry, we are going to eat in a few minutes. Why don't you check if Griselda has already set the table in the dining room? You can tell her we need another place setting."

The boy stormed out, whistling joyfully though the new tooth gap in his front teeth.

"He's such a handsome boy." Emma's voice trembled when she spoke. "I can't believe he's already seven now. I missed so much."

Cora clicked her tongue and placed her glass back on the table. She was thirsty after drinking the sweet juice.

"Miss Swan, may I ask you why you gave up Henry for adoption? You don't have to answer if it makes you feel uncomfortable."

Emma nodded her head.

"I was eighteen. My ex had made a run for the hills when I told him I was pregnant with Henry."

"What about your parents? Couldn't they have helped you?"

"I never had a real family. Foster child, you know? I didn't want my kid to go through what I had. That's why I signed the adoption papers."

"I understand. But now, you suddenly want back in Henry's life."

"I never stopped loving him. Sometimes, I felt like the pain was suffocating me. I was constantly wondering what he looked like, if he was being treated well and if he was healthy and happy."

Cora leaned back against the cushions of the wine-red leather sofa. She crossed one leg over the other.

"I can assure you that Henry is a very happy child. Maybe we tend to spoil him too much but that's often the case with only children."

She shifted a bit closer to Emma to be able to whisper into the woman's ear.

"You have to understand this situation is very difficult on my daughter. Henry is her everything."

Emma nodded her head.

"I am not going to take him away. I couldn't, not even when I wanted to. There is no legal way to undo the adoption."

A red-faced woman stuck her head inside the door.

"Mrs. Mills? Lunch is ready to be served now."

At the table, Henry insisted that Emma had to sit between him and Regina. She looked horrified at the amount of cutlery in front of her. Were you supposed to start from the inside out or the other way round? Emma couldn't remember it.

Soup was placed in front of them. It smelled like onions and mushrooms.

"I don't want yucky soup."

"Henry!" Regina rolled her eyes at her son. Henry was so terribly picky with food recently.

"Mom, do I have to eat soup? I hate soup. It's slimy."

He had turned to Emma when he asked the question.

"You should at least try it before deciding whether you like it or not. How does that sound?"

He frowned. With a nauseated look on his face, he lifted the spoon to his little mouth.

"Maybe the mushrooms in the soup are poisonous."

"Maybe someone doesn't want any dessert today. Emma would you like to eat Henry's chocolate pudding for him?"

Emma suppressed a chuckle in her throat. "I love chocolate pudding. It's my favorite."

"Mine too."

Henry's face lit up. He stirred around in his soup some more. If only he knew how to make it disappear somehow. Finally, he lifted the spoon to his mouth again while holding his nose with his other hand.

"Griselda, please take Henry's soup away." Cora wiped her mouth on a linen napkin. "Regina, there's no use in forcing children to eat foods they don't like."

Henry smiled a toothless grin of thankfulness at this grandmother.

"Miss Swan, you are not a vegetarian, are you?"

"Oh no, I like eating meat."

Regina felt heat pulsing through her body when she saw how Emma wiped a tiny bit of soup from the corner of her mouth. She remembered how that tongue had felt like against her sex. If only she could forget about that night. Why was it so hard?

"Regina didn't eat any meat for over three years when she was a teenager. She had a bad crush on her riding teacher back then. That woman was all about eating vegan."

"Mother, why are you bringing up old stories like this? I'm sure it's boring for Emma."

"Not at all."

Regina's insides melted when Emma smiled at her. She hated herself for the effect Emma was having on her. It was like her own body was mocking her. Regina vowed that she would never have a one-night-stand ever again in her life.

"Would you like to see our distillery after lunch? Regina can take you."

"Mother."

"What? You know I am meeting with your sister and that moron whom she plans to marry. I know this man is nothing but a thief but Zelena won't listen to me."

Regina wiped her mouth. Why was her mother doing this? She was talking to Emma about private stuff that concerned nobody outside of their family. Emma was not part of it. She never would be.

"I would love to see where Magic Apple is made."

"And you shall. Regina, darling, you'll show Miss Swan around, won't you?"

Regina sighed. "Sure, mother."

After lunch Henry insisted on showing Emma his room first before she and Regina would go to the distillery. He handed Emma the drawing he had made for her.

"That's lovely. Thank you, Henry. I'm going to frame it."

Emma swallowed back a lump in her throat. The picture was Henry between her and Regina. A happy grin was plastered upon each of their faces.

"Let's call the towing service now. Shall we? It might take them a while to come back out here."

Regina couldn't wait to get Emma out of the house again. She was turning her into a nervous wreck. Her heartbeat was too fast the entire time this woman was near her.

"Sure."

Emma forced her face to stay an indifferent mask. She had tried so hard. She had tried so hard to forget her night with Regina. But whenever she closed her eyes, memories pulsed through her. She couldn't forget how Regina's body had felt against her own or how her lust had tasted in her mouth.

The towing service held her in a waiting loop for twenty minutes before a stressed operator informed Emma that nobody would be available to look after her car until tomorrow morning due to a rear-end collision on the highway that involved several wrecked cars.

Regina shook her head when Emma told her the unfortunate news.

"You can stay in one of our guest rooms for the night."

"Thank you."

Regina didn't return the smile Emma granted her.

"It's not a big deal. Come on, I'll show you around the distillery now."

It smelled like apples, old wood and dust when they entered the distillery a few minutes later. This place was very private to the Mills family. It was rare that they allowed an outsider inside these stonewalls.

"Don't touch anything."

"Can I touch you?"

Emma placed her hand on Regina's wrist to caress it gently.

"Please, don't do this."

"Why?"

Regina's lips parted but she couldn't get a vocal response out. She didn't want Emma to touch her and at the same time she wanted to be touched badly. Her brain wasn't capable to function properly in Emma's presence.

"You enjoyed when I touched you. I can remember how much you liked it."

"Emma, please stop talking about that night. We need to act like it never happened."

She guided Emma down a corridor. It was so narrow that Emma had to walk behind her.

"See, this is where the magic happens."

Regina pointed to the equipment in the middle of the room.

Emma leaned over the glass tanks.

"Why do you distillate red and green apples separately?"

"It's better for the aroma." Regina explained. "Do you like red or green apples better?"

"Red, definitely."

Regina placed a little plastic cup underneath one tank and turned on the faucet. A gold colored liquid poured into the cup.

"Try."

She held the cup up to Emma's mouth, not taking her eyes off of her while she swallowed slowly.

As soon as the alcohol touched her tongue she coughed. This stuff was strong. It burned in her throat, knocking the breath out of her and making her eyes water.

"Is it too strong for you?"

Emma felt like she could spit fire like a dragon. She was usually good at handling strong liquor.

"Tastes like poison."

Regina smiled proudly.

"Exactly! This is Poison Apple you just tasted. We are going to start selling it this winter. We have a third drink coming up. It's called Wicked Apple and is made out of green apples and Absinth."

"I think I like good old Magic Apple the best."

"So do I. But you need to come up with new things every now and then."

She took a step closer to Emma and fished cobwebs out of her hair.

"You had something in your hair."

"A spider?" Emma's voice jumped into a shrill pitch. Anything that crawled was making her skin itch.

"You're really not an animal person."

"I like dogs."

"So does Henry. He's been trying to talk me and mother into buying him a Dalmatian."

"Those are pretty dogs."

"Henry is not old enough to have his own dog. His turtle would already been dead if I hadn't ordered Griselda to feed the poor thing when Henry's at school."

"He's a good boy. You raised him well."

"I know. He's my son."

Emma took a few deep breaths. Was the air sticky inside this room? She felt like there wasn't enough oxygen getting into her lungs.

"Are you well? You look so pale."

"I'm fine," Emma responded, noticing how her legs started to tremble. Her knees felt wobbly like jell-o. She tumbled forward but before her face made hard contact with the stone floor Regina caught her.

"Careful. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I'm sorry. I just tend to get a bit anxious in narrow rooms."

Regina sat down on the ground and held Emma's head on her lap. Tenderly, she caressed her face with her fingertips.

"Horses, Spiders, narrow rooms, anything else you are scared of?"

"I don't like clowns. They are creepy."

"Henry would agree with you on that. Zelena hired a clown for his fifth birthday. He screamed for twenty minutes until we sent the poor idiot home again."

Regina smiled at the memory.

"I love Henry but I am not here to steal him away. You need to believe me."

"Then why are you here? Mr. Gold could have arranged another meeting in Boston."

Emma sighed. She closed her eyes for a minute. It was helping her with the unpleasant dizziness.

"Emma?"

"I am here because I took a new job in a small town about thirty minutes away from here. I thought it would be good to live closer to Henry when I want to see him more often."

Regina ran her fingertip down the bridge of Emma's nose. She had given up her job at the bar to be closer to Henry?

"He speaks about you all the time, you know. I can't get him to shut up."

Emma sat up and tucked her legs underneath her backside.

"It's possible to love more than one person."

"I know."

"I don't think you do. If you did, you wouldn't be so ridiculously jealous of me."

Regina gasped. How dare Emma to accuse her of being jealous? She had never been jealous in her whole life!

"I am just watching out for Henry, because I love him."

Regina's voice was cold now. Inside her it was cold too. She felt an almost unbearable urge to wrap Emma into her arms. She wanted to push her against the hard brick wall and kiss her until she moaned.

"We should go now."

Regina crossed her hands beneath her back. On their way out of the distillery neither of them spoke a word. Regina mumbled an excuse that she needed to finish some paperwork in her office.

Emma spent the rest of the afternoon with Henry. He was chatty and Emma absorbed every word coming out of the boy's mouth like a dry sponge.

At dinner time, Regina was absent in the dining room. Emma felt like her stomach was in knots. She was barely able to swallow a couple of bits.

"Aren't you hungry, Miss Swan?" Cora asked.

"Not very much, Mrs. Mills."

Cora took a sip from her wine. Did Regina and Emma have a fight? It was not like Regina to excuse herself to mealtimes during the weekend. There was something about the way her daughter had looked at Emma earlier. Cora couldn't put a name to it.

"Please, do me a favor child and call me Cora."

"Only if you start calling me Emma too."

Cora smiled kindly. "More wine, Emma?"

"This is delicious. Please don't tell me what it costs. It's probably more than I make in a week."

"You're a bartender, right?"

"I know that doesn't sound great to someone like you, but I like working in bars. I love talking to people."

"My daughter mentioned that you would like to do an internship at Magic Apple. Are you still interested in that?"

Emma didn't know what to say. Yes, she had been trying for two years now to apply for an internship at Magic Apple. Now though, things looked different. Regina sure as hell wouldn't want her to work with her.

"I don't know, Cora."

"Why?"

"I don't think Regina would like it."

"She doesn't have much to do with our interns. I am the one who is responsible for them."

"I see."

"Now, would you like to do an internship here?"

Emma nodded. She clicked her glass against Cora's. Maybe bad luck in love meant good luck for her in other fields of her life.

The room Griselda showed Emma to sleep in was bigger than Emma's entire apartment back in Boston and three times the size of the tiny place she had rented down in Storybrooke now.

For several hours, she tossed around on the soft sheets. She turned her pillow around, pressing its other side against her overheated face. Why couldn't she manage to stop thinking about Regina? It was like the woman had infected her and now a Regina virus was crawling through every vein inside her body.

Emma's hand moved between her thighs. Touching herself sometimes helped her to relax enough to fall asleep better.

She bit into the blanket to suffocate her moans. In her mind she imaged herself sitting on top of Regina, the shaft of a strap-on gliding in and out of her. Emma rubbed her clit while she fantasized about moving up and down on top of Regina. Then she imagined Regina sitting up, changing the angle of how the toy was gliding inside her. Emma's fingers moved faster. If only it was Regina touching her now. She imagined Regina's hard nipples pressing deliciously against her own breasts.

Two of her fingers slide inside Emma's entrance. She curled them towards her belly. Her inner muscles clenched around her digits. The release was not stronger than a soft wave that washed over her body. It left her feeling more hungry than satisfied.

Emma moaned. She got out of the bed and walked down the hallway in search of a bathroom. This house was so huge. One could get lost in it.

When she opened the door to the bathroom, she bumped into someone. Regina dropped the towel she was holding. The vibrator she had wrapped inside it rolled over the floor. Emma kneeled down to pick it up.

"You like toys?"

"Give it back to me. That's none of your business."

Regina had been unable to fall asleep and after a fruitless attempt at making herself cum with her fingers, she had decided to get her waterproof vibrator from the bathroom. Mainly she preferred using it underneath the shower but a shower in the middle of the night could wake other people in the house up.

"Come and get it."

Emma hid the toy underneath the long shirt she was wearing.

"Come and get it if you dare."

Regina pressed Emma against the wall. Her mouth came close to Emma's ear.

"You have something that belongs to me."

Regina's lips touched against Emma's throat. She groaned. It was impossible for her to remain still. She had fantasied about being touched by Regina again. Regina sucked hard on her skin. The teeth were going to leave marks but Emma didn't care.

"Please."

"Please what, Emma?"

Regina forced her thigh between Emma's legs. She noticed that Emma wasn't wearing any kind of underwear and also that she was amazingly wet down below.

"Kiss me."

Regina shifted her leg a bit higher to apply more pressure on Emma's pussy.

"Give me what's mine and I'll kiss you wherever you want."

Emma moved her hand from underneath the shirt to hand the vibrator back to its rightful owner.

"Here."

"Good girl."

Regina smiled and leaned forward. Her mouth touched against Emma's. She swiped her tongue over Emma's bottom lip to get her to part her mouth.

"You said you'd kiss me anywhere I want," Emma panted.

"Sure."

Emma smirked, pointing her forefinger downwards her belly.

Regina groaned.

"My room, now."

As soon as the door closed behind them, Regina pushed Emma against it. She went down on her knees and lifted Emma's shirt a bit higher. Her hands moved up soft-skinned thighs.

"You're driving me crazy. Do you know that? I can't stop to think about touching you."

Her hands moved higher as she leaned closer. She swiped her tongue down Emma's moist slit. Hands fisted into Regina's hair.

It felt so incredibly good. Regina circled her tongue over Emma's clit. Then she pressed her lips against her inner lips as if she was giving her a kiss on the mouth. Emma's heart pounded in her chest. Nobody had ever done this to her while she was standing up. The sensations were overwhelming. Regina's tongue felt so good. The movements were faster now. Regina was letting it hit in fast strokes against her clit.

"Fuck."

Emma tightened the grip in Regina's hair. She threw her head back. Lust pulsed through her. She lost her balance but Regina held her tightly around the hips. Her tongue thrust back and forth inside her until Emma's body finally softened like it was suddenly boneless.

"It's fucking hot as hell when you cum."

Regina kissed the inside of Emma's left thigh and pulled back.

She got up and walked backwards towards her four-poster bed.

"Come to me, my queen."

Emma sat down next to her and tugged on the spaghetti straps of Regina's silken night gown.

"You are so beautiful. I can't stop thinking about you."

She cupped Regina's breasts and fondled them. The she leaned down to close her mouth around the right nipple, enjoying how it instantly got hard between her lips.

"Let me see your toy again?"

She grabbed the vibrator and turned it on. Emma smiled when she moved the buzzing toy between Regina's legs. She pressed it against the thin material of underwear before she finally tugged it down.

"What do you think about when you touch yourself?"

Emma let the toy vibrate against the inside of Regina's thigh, never letting it move high enough to touch against her moist glistening sex.

"I think of nothing."

"Liar."

"What does it matter? Please, Emma, touch me."

"Do you think of me?"

"Yes."

Emma maneuvered the vibrator higher. It touched against Regina's entrance. She bucked her hips upwards.

"What do you think about?"

"You, on top of me, straddling me while you are wearing nothing but your leather jacket."

Emma lowered her mouth to Regina's breast. She licked and sucked on it while the toy rubbed over her lover's clit. Eventually, she started thrusting it inside her, back and forth, slowly going deeper every couple of movements.

"Emma."

Regina whimpered. She guided Emma's hand between her legs. Emma rubbed her fingertips in circles over Regina's clit. Her muscles pulsed around the shaft of the toy. Blissful release spread through her.

"You're driving me crazy."

"So are you."

Emma leaned her head against Regina's chest. She loved how Regina's heart hammered and closed her eyes.

"I can go if you want to sleep alone."

"No," Regina whispered. Her lips brushed over Emma's hair. "You can stay here with me."

The next morning Henry had woken up early. He loved Sundays when his mother didn't have to head to the office early. With one of his superman socks on – he couldn't find the left one – he tumbled towards Regina's room at the other side of the hallway.

"Mom, I'm up!"

He pushed the door open. The sight puzzled him. Why was Emma sleeping here too? Bare shoulders and thighs were nestled together, only partly covered from the blanket.

"Mom, are you and Mom trying to make a new baby?"

As if they'd been struck by a lightning both women sat up in the bed. They tugged on the blanket, trying to cover up.

"Why aren't you sleeping, honey? It's still early."

"I am not tired anymore."

He jumped on the bed, making the feather bed squeak as he jumped up and down a couple of times.

"Are you making a baby?"

Emma felt her face turn hot. She noticed her shirt was lying on the floor. When had she taken it off?

"Henry, stop jumping. You're going to break the bed. Why are you thinking we're making a baby?"

Regina knew that she still had to conquer the embarrassing talk about the bees and flowers with her son. Normally he wasn't very interested on the topic very much.

"Uncle Robin said when two adults sleep naked in one bed, they are making babies. Oh please, Mom, can I have a little brother? I want one!"

Regina sighed. She kissed Henry's forehead.

"Go and get dressed. Both feet need socks. Emma and I will get dressed too and meet you for breakfast downstairs. How do pancakes sound to you?"

"With blueberries?"

"Sure."

He clasped his hands together and ran out. The door made a loud banging noise.

"I'm sorry," Emma whispered. "That was awkward. I'll get dressed now."

"You can borrow some of my clothes since you didn't bring any with you."

Regina got up and opened her closet. She threw a pair of panties and a white blouse at Emma.

"I don't think my bras will work on you since you are fuller than me."

"Thank you."

Emma ran her hands through her hair. It was a mess. She needed to wash it but for now, best she could do was braiding it to keep it from falling into her face.

"He thinks we could make a baby? That's funny."

"I don't think it's funny. Robin and I are going to have some serious talk about this. I don't need this idiot telling stuff like that to our son."

To Regina's horror, Emma started sobbing. She sat down on the edge of the bed and cried into her hands.

"Why are you crying?"

"You," Emma stuttered. "You said our son."

Regina wrapped her arms around Emma. She let her cry a bit while she gently caressed her hair.

"I don't know what to do, Emma."

"Just hold me for a minute, okay?"

Henry had waited downstairs in the kitchen for quite a while. He was getting hungry. Maybe his moms were still busy with making the new baby? Well, he had seen his mom or Griselda making pancakes often enough. It sure looked easy enough to him.

He climbed on the counter to grab a big bowl. Then he poured milk into it. The flour left a white trail on the yellow tiles. He added a gracious amount of it on top of the milk.

Eggs! He needed some eggs for the batter. One of it landed on the floor when he tried to carry them.

"Henry Daniel Mills, what are you doing in here?"

Cora had just returned back to the house from her morning run. She grabbed some paper towels to wipe off the egg from the floor.

"You know that you're not allowed to make a mess in the kitchen. Where's your mother?"

"Mom and Mom are making a baby brother for me."

He stuck his hand into the bowl. The flour and milk felt funny against his fingers. He splashed his other hand into it too.

Fifteen minutes later, coffee was brewing. Pancakes were stapled on a plate and the round table in the kitchen was set.

Regina and Emma entered the kitchen. Emma's eyes were still a bit red.

"Good Morning, Mother. Oh, you already made breakfast. Thank you."

"Yes, Henry and I made breakfast together while you two were apparently trying to make another grandchild for me."

"Mother!"

Cora petted Regina's head and poured coffee into Emma's cup.

"I don't care what you two are doing but the boy doesn't need to know anything about your funny business. Next time just lock the door."

"Mother!"

Emma sipped on her hot coffee. Right now they seemed so normal. Inside the walls of the kitchen, they didn't seem like arrogant rich people. They seemed happy and down to earth. Most of all, they were making her feel like she belonged. Emma had never felt like she belonged with anyone her entire life. Tears started burning in her eyes again.

"Mom, when we are finished with breakfast can I show Mom my castle?"

Regina nodded while she continued to slowly chew on a piece of pancake. After skipping dinner last night and the lovemaking, she felt famished. Sex always made her hungry for sweet foods.

"You have a castle, Henry?"

"It's his tree house," Cora explained. She noticed a big hickey on Emma's throat. Didn't young women these days learn how to cover such marks up? Regina had dark circles underneath her eyes but a strangely joyful smile playing around her mouth.

After they were done with breakfast Henry pulled Emma outside in the huge garden behind the house to guide her to his tree house.

Regina helped her mother to clean up the kitchen. Sunday was Griselda's day off and the two of them had to take care of things themselves for once.

"What do you think you are doing with Emma?"

"It's nothing, mother."

"She didn't have that hickey last night when we ate dinner. So, since I didn't give it to her and Henry sure is too young, that leaves you as the only remaining person responsible."

"Mother, please, I don't wish to discuss my sex life with you."

Cora wiped the kitchen counter. "She almost cried. You upset her."

"I know. She's very sensitive."

"Then we know where Henry got that from. Listen to me, Regina. You need to be careful."

"Mother, I am. Last night…I didn't plan for that to happen. I am not proud it did."

Cora wiped over the kitchen table and sighed.

"You can't do this. You can't just start having casual sex with the mother of your child. It's immoral."

Shortly later the towing service arrived. A fried cable was exchanged and the old engine of the Beetle roared to life again.

"Thank you, for letting me stay last night. You'll get your blouse back after I get it dry-cleaned."

"It's ok. Keep the blouse if you want to." Regina swallowed hard. She needed to talk to Emma, but it was like her brain was unable to form words.

"I liked having you here."

Emma took a step towards Regina and placed her hand on her cheek. She wiped over Regina's cheekbone with her thumb.

"What are you scared of? You didn't tell me."

"Heights," Regina mumbled. "I am scared of heights."

What she truly was scared about were her emotions. Regina felt an urge inside herself to beg Emma to stay. Last night had been about more than sex. Otherwise, she hadn't asked Emma to leave right after they were done. She was falling for Emma and there was no safety net that would keep her from getting hurt.

"Can I come again next Saturday to visit Henry?"

Regina nodded. Her throat felt too dry to speak. She coughed and cleared her throat.

"Next Saturday Zelena is getting married. Maybe you would like to be my date?"

Emma smiled. "Your date?"

"Only if you want to," Regina stuttered. She felt naked. If Emma said no, it would hurt her. She cared. Regina knew it would upset her endlessly if Emma would turn her down.

"I would love to be your date, but I have a condition."

"Sure."

"Don't make me wear a dress."

Emma in a tux was a marvelous sight. She had arranged her hair in an artful braid. It looked great but Regina missed seeing Emma's gorgeous curls bounce free.

"You look stunning,"

Regina's cheeks blushed when Emma lifted her hand to blow a kiss over her knuckles.

"Thank you."

"I am just speaking the truth. You're a beautiful woman. I knew that from the first moment I saw you."

She pressed a second kiss on the back of Regina's hand.

Soft violin music was already playing when they entered the church. Henry waved his hand at them.

"Mom!" He whisper yelled. "You and Mom sit with me and Grandma!"

Emma sat down next to the boy and gave him a side-hug. "I like your tie."

"It's itchy but Grandma said I can't take it off,"

"Be quiet. Look, doesn't your aunt look pretty today?" Cora asked. She wiped tears from the corner of her eyes to keep her make-up from smearing.

Henry found that his aunt Zelena looked like a human in a meringue costume. There was a lace curtain on her head. It reminded him of those they had upstairs in the guestroom.

He scratched his arm but stopped when Regina gave him a strict look. What was he supposed to do when it was itching? It itched terribly. His back and belly and around his neck. It was driving him crazy. He waited until his Mom's eyes moved towards his aunt and uncle. Then he started scratching his leg.

"Henry, stop with the scratching," Emma whispered. She took his hand in hers.

On Emma's other side, Regina placed her hand on Emma's knee. Emma put her hand on top of it and caressed it gently. She leaned back against the wooden bench. Weddings always triggered her sensitive side. Zelena and Robin were not even halfway through their vows when Emma was already sobbing.

"Don't cry."

Regina handed her a tissue. "It's just a wedding. They're not being sentenced to death."

Emma giggled. She blew her nose. Then she leaned her head against Regina who wrapped her arm around her.

"This is a circus. When I get married I want a small, intimate ceremony."

"You want to get married?"

"Sure, if I find the right person to get married to."

Henry scratched his neck. It was difficult to scratch with the tie wrapped around it.

"Henry, please behave," Regina hissed. "Emma already told you that you can take the tie off after church."

"But I am itching! Mom, it's itching so badly."

Finally the ceremony was completed. The crowd cheered. Tears were being dried. Regina pulled her older sister into a cordial hug and kissed her cheeks. Then, she turned to her new brother-in law.

She blew a kiss over his unshaved cheek and whispered. "Make my sister unhappy and your heart will roast on a grill."

His face paled a little bit. At least he had managed to talk Zelena out of the stupid prenuptials.

"Congratulations to both of you," Emma said with a kind smile on her face. Next to her Henry was still busy scratching his hand now. The more he scratched the worse it got but he couldn't stop.

"Henry for heaven's sake, stop with the scratching. Emma, tell him to stop it."

She sighed and kneeled down. Her fingers grabbed the tie around Henry's neck and loosened it enough to take it off. She opened the first button of his white shirt.

There was a red mark on his neck and a second one a bit closer to his collarbone. Emma undid a second button. There were more of these dots. Were these mosquito bites? It looked like his entire chest was covered in them. She pulled up the sleeve of his left arm and noticed several of the red dots on his lower arm.

"Regina, can you take a look at this? I think something bit him."

Regina took her attention away from her sister and the other wedding guests. Henry's face looked red. The eyes were glassy. Was he getting a fever?

"Mom, I am so itchy."

He held out his arm to her and instantly started scratching his cheek. His head was hurting.

"Sweetie, are you alright? Let Grandma check you out."

Cora pushed her daughter aside and kneeled down next to Henry. She took a look at the dots on his chest and arm and nodded her head.

"Are these mosquito bites?" Emma asked.

"No, Emma, these are not mosquito bites. It looks like our dear Henry here got chicken pox."

The wedding reception was over for Regina and Emma before it actually begun. The doctor was called to confirm Cora's diagnosis. The boy was put in bed where both his mothers continued to apply lotion and powder on him to lessen the itchiness. Fever was measured and tea was cooked that they feed to him spoon by spoon while they sat on the edge of his bed in a dark-dimmed room. After he had swallowed the bitter medicine the doctor had prescribed Henry eventually drifted into sleep.

Regina leaned down and kissed his forehead.

She and Emma tip-toed outside and closed the door behind them. Emma realized that Regina had tears in her eyes.

"Hey, you don't need to cry. It's just a children's disease. Henry will be fine."

Regina sat down at the top of the stairs and buried her face in her hands. She sobbed loudly.

"Why are you crying now? He will be okay. Dr. Whale said that too."

Regina sniffed and leaned her head against Emma's shoulder when she sat down next to her on the stairs.

"You don't understand. This is my fault. It's my fault he's sick now."

"How?"

"Mother told me to get him vaccinated but I insisted it wouldn't be necessary. Henry was always throwing such a tantrum at the doctor's when he saw needles. Now, he's sick and it's my fault!"

Emma wrapped her arms around Regina and rocked her back and forth. She stroked her hair and blew a kiss on the top of Regina's head.

"You didn't do anything wrong. Please don't think that. You're a wonderful mom."

Regina sniffed again. She needed a tissue.

"Thank you for not blaming me."

"You couldn't know he'd get sick. We'll take care of him and he'll be just fine in a few days."

She leaned forward to rub smeared mascara from underneath Regina's eyes.

"You look like a raccoon."

Emma brushed her lips lightly over Regina's mouth. Her hands touched bare shoulders.

"This dress is very sexy on you."

She kissed Regina a second time, allowing her tongue to swipe teasingly over a velvet soft lower lip.

"This is not how I planned our date to go," Emma said. "We were supposed to dance and eat wedding cake until our sugar level bursts."

"I don't care for the cake they ordered. It's butter cream."

Regina rose from the stairs and pulled Emma with her.

"How would you like to help me make the best apple turnovers you've ever tasted?"

"I like baking."

Emma smiled when Regina didn't let go of her hand when they went downstairs in the kitchen. Griselda was responsible for the wedding catering, so they had the house entirely to themselves.

Maybe a thing like love at first sight didn't exist. Maybe it was always lust at first sight and love needed a second or a third look, maybe even a fourth look.

Regina knew that she didn't mind looking at Emma's face for the rest of her life to find out.

But right now, they'd be baking apple turnovers together. She wondered if they'd taste better if being eaten in bed.


End file.
